Deepfakes: A Global Battle Against Digital Deception
Deepfake technology is a method for manipulating videos, images, audios utilizing powerful computers and deep learning. It is used to generate fake news and commit financial fraud among other wrong doings. It overlays a digital composite over an already-existing video, picture, or audio; cybercriminals use Artificial Intelligence technology.
Origin of the Word:
The term Deepfake originated in 2017, when an anonymous Reddit user called himself “Deepfakes.” This user manipulated Google’s open-source, deep-learning technology to create and post pornographic videos.
Misuse:
Deepfake technology is now being used for nefarious purposes like scams and hoaxes, celebrity pornography, election manipulation, social engineering, automated disinformation attacks, identity theft and financial fraud etc. Deepfake technology has been used to impersonate notable personalities like former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, etc. What are other Countries doing to Combat Deepfakes?
European Union:
The European Union has an updated Code of Practice to stop the spread of disinformation through deepfakes. The revised Code requires tech companies including Google, Meta, and Twitter to take measures in countering deepfakes and fake accounts on their platforms. They have six months to implement their measures once they have signed up to the Code. If found non-compliant, these companies can face fines as much as 6% of their annual global turnover, according to the updated Code. Introduced in 2018, the Code of Practice on Disinformation brought together for the first-time worldwide industry players to commit to counter disinformation.
United States:
The U.S. introduced the bipartisan Deepfake Task Force Act to assist the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to counter Deepfake technology. The measure directs the DHS to conduct an annual study of deepfakes, assess the technology used, track its uses by foreign and domestic entities, and come up with available countermeasures to tackle the same. California and Texas have passed laws that criminalize the publishing and distributing of Deepfake videos that intend to influence the outcome of an election. The law in Virginia imposes criminal penalties on the distribution of non consensual deepfake pornography.
India:
In response to the escalating threat of deepfakes, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has announced that they are working on decisive measures. The govt, on Thursday (23rd Nov) revealed plans to draft new regulations or amend existing laws in order to deal with the deepfake menace. The move is a significant step toward combating the spread of real-looking fake videos and audio, a threat highlighted by the recent spread of viral deepfake videos featuring popular Bollywood actresses like Rashmika Mandanna, Katrina Kaif and Kajol Devgn.
The drafted regulations are based on four pillars which include:
1. Detection of deepfakes
2. Prevention of the deepfakes
2. Building of grievance and reporting mechanism
3. Raising awareness
